How the Contaminated Osun River Ruined the Fortunes of Women Farmers
Samuel Agboola, 16, is passionate about higher education, but something is holding back his ardent aspiration: his mother's vegetable farm, which was used to finance his studies, has collapsed.
Five years ago, his mother, Yeyeoni Agboola, owned a vegetable farm by the river near the railway line in the Alekuwodo area of Osogbo, Osun State, but had to turn to selling fruit when the river became polluted.
A decade after her husband's death, Mrs. Agboola has taken up vegetable farming to provide for her children and their education. She said luck had been in her favor until the river was contaminated. Samuel, her youngest child, recently dropped out of high school.
"With the help of God, agriculture and a few other things, I built my first house," she said of how vegetable farming paid its bills in the past.
For many women in this community, growing vegetables is easy, timely and very profitable.
"...this business is lucrative, many look at us just because we look dirty, but they didn't know much about the profit we make selling vegetables," said Deborah Adedokun, l one of the vegetable producers.
The good times continued until the advent of the "gold rush". The land these women farm to support their families has recently lost value due to a 'gold rush' in Osun State.
Illegal gold mining in the state, including around the river banks, has polluted the river, a source of drinking and irrigation water for women farmers. As the river became polluted, farmers' harvests declined and many, including Mrs. Agboola, had to give up farming.
Yeyeoni Agboola explaining his ordealSamuel's upbringing and his mother's market gardening business are just a few- some of the people affected by this pollution caused by illegal mining that seems unstoppable in Osun.
The fish farm affectedBefore mining polluted the river, many people, including foreign and local tourists, enjoyed the Osun River. But for many, this is no longer the case.
“Mining is the main thing contaminating the river and nothing else,” said Toyin Aladeitan, a widow who sold fried fish in the community.
Mrs. Aladeitan has also built a house from her small fish business. Her children would go fishing in the river for their mother to cook and falcon. It was their routine until the river was polluted.
Samuel Agboola, 16, is passionate about higher education, but something is holding back his ardent aspiration: his mother's vegetable farm, which was used to finance his studies, has collapsed.
Five years ago, his mother, Yeyeoni Agboola, owned a vegetable farm by the river near the railway line in the Alekuwodo area of Osogbo, Osun State, but had to turn to selling fruit when the river became polluted.
A decade after her husband's death, Mrs. Agboola has taken up vegetable farming to provide for her children and their education. She said luck had been in her favor until the river was contaminated. Samuel, her youngest child, recently dropped out of high school.
"With the help of God, agriculture and a few other things, I built my first house," she said of how vegetable farming paid its bills in the past.
For many women in this community, growing vegetables is easy, timely and very profitable.
"...this business is lucrative, many look at us just because we look dirty, but they didn't know much about the profit we make selling vegetables," said Deborah Adedokun, l one of the vegetable producers.
The good times continued until the advent of the "gold rush". The land these women farm to support their families has recently lost value due to a 'gold rush' in Osun State.
Illegal gold mining in the state, including around the river banks, has polluted the river, a source of drinking and irrigation water for women farmers. As the river became polluted, farmers' harvests declined and many, including Mrs. Agboola, had to give up farming.
Yeyeoni Agboola explaining his ordealSamuel's upbringing and his mother's market gardening business are just a few- some of the people affected by this pollution caused by illegal mining that seems unstoppable in Osun.
The fish farm affectedBefore mining polluted the river, many people, including foreign and local tourists, enjoyed the Osun River. But for many, this is no longer the case.
“Mining is the main thing contaminating the river and nothing else,” said Toyin Aladeitan, a widow who sold fried fish in the community.
Mrs. Aladeitan has also built a house from her small fish business. Her children would go fishing in the river for their mother to cook and falcon. It was their routine until the river was polluted.
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